Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held talks with Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar in Beijing, pledging to work with Malaysia to bring the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a new level.

King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's visit will further advance the development of bilateral relations and deepen cooperation between both countries across various fields, while also enhancing the guiding significance and role of bilateral relations in the regional context, experts said on Friday.

During the meeting, Xi pointed out that as neighbors across the sea, China and Malaysia enjoy a time-honored friendship. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1974, China and Malaysia have always been in friendly terms and supported each other, setting a fine example of mutual achievements and win-win cooperation among countries.

Xi said this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the Year of China-Malaysia Friendship, a significant year for China-Malaysia relations to build on past achievements and forge ahead into the future. China is further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing high-standard opening-up, which will bring new impetus and opportunities to China-Malaysia cooperation, Xi added.

China is ready to work with Malaysia to carry forward fine traditions, be close neighbors of everlasting friendship, sincere partners of joint development, brotherly friends and an important force for peace, Xi said, adding that the two countries should deepen strategic cooperation in each other's modernization and push the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a new level.

As the visit by King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar is his first to a non-ASEAN country since assuming office as head of state, it will open up new prospects for further development of the relationship between the two countries, Ge Hongliang, vice dean of the ASEAN College at the Guangxi Minzu University, told the Global Times on Friday.

The expert noted that the relationship between China and Malaysia serves as a model for regional countries. "In the context of the current regional or international situation, the development of China-Malaysia relations is commendable and holds significant guiding value," Ge said.

Regarding regional hotspot issues, especially those related to the South China Sea, experts said that Malaysia does not support nor endorse any actions that could provoke regional instability or worsen the situation. 

At the same time, Malaysia emphasizes ASEAN's role in the South China Sea issue and actively promotes managing differences through consultations. Malaysia also holds an unfavorable stance toward the intervention of external countries, demonstrating its strategic autonomy, analysts said.